MOSCOW, December 24. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia has purchased the first tranche of Ukrainian sovereign bonds worth $3 billion, Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said at a meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Nikolai Azarov on Tuesday.

“Yesterday, on my behalf and according to the documents signed, we have purchased the first tranche of sovereign bonds worth three billion US dollars, and yesterday they were sent to the National Bank of Ukraine,” Medvedev said.

In return, Azarov confirmed that “today the National Bank of Ukraine has actually received the first tranche on its account”.

December 24, the Irish Stock Exchange (ISE) has included in the listing the Ukrainian Eurobonds maturing in 2015, as reported on its official site. The amount listed is $3 billion at a coupon rate of 5% per annum.

December 23, Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov stated that December 20, an agreement on Russia’s purchase of Ukraine’s two-year Eurobonds worth $3 billion on Irish Stock Exchange was consummated. The final transfer of sums under the contract is expected to be completed on Tuesday, December 24.

December 17, after consultations between Russia and Ukraine President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would allocate part of its reserves of National Welfare Fund in the amount of $15 billion in securities of Ukraine’s government.